Apparatus for applying material such as glue to successive pieces



Oct. 10, 1939.

G. PIERSON APPARATUS FOR APPLYING MATERIAL SUCH AS GLUE T0 SUCCESSIVE PIECES Filed Feb. 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l G. cs. PIERSON Oct. 10, 1939.

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING MATERIAL SUCH AS GLUE TO SUCCESSIVE PIECES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 11, 1937 @Unr 2 Patented Oct. 10, 1939 PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR APPLYING MATERIAL SUCH AS GLUE T SUCCESSIVE PIECES Gordon G. Pierson, Lansdale, Pa., assignor to Perkins Glue Company, Lansdale, Pa.,

poration of Delaware Application February 11, 1937, Serial No. 125,315

7 Claims.

This invention relates to novel apparatus for tact of the coated surfaces of the pieces with applying material in liquid or semi-liquid form to work piecesor objects. While the invention is applicable in any instance where it is desired to apply such material to work pieces, it is particularly directed to the application or spreading of glue on pieces of wood or lumber. Therefore, the invention will be described herein with particular reference to glue-spreading apparatus but it is to be understood that the invention is not thus limited nor intended to be limited by the present disclosure.

The devices used heretofore to apply material, such as glue, to work pieces of Wood or the like have been inherently objectionable for several reasons. In the common form of device employing simply an applicator roll, the pieces must be held manually as they are passed over the roll. Only a few pieces may be handled at one time an in this manner and, in fact, frequently only one or two pieces may be handled. Moreover, the glue coverage is frequently not complete, since 'manual pressure applied to one piece may prevent others from engaging the roll. Further- 85 more, an excessive amount of glue must be spread in order to facilitate the manual spreading. It will be apparent also that the sticky, viscous character of the material renders handling more difficult. If it is attempted to use conveyors on opposite sides of the applicator roll, the conveyor on the discharge side of the roll becomes smeared with glue and the resulting friction between the conveyor and the wood causes the wood to slip on the applicator roll, thus causing excessive and irregular application of the glue to the wood. Moreover, the sticking of the wood to the conveyor makes handling more diflicult.

The principal object of the present invention 1 0 provide an improved device which eliminates the above-mentioned objectionable characteristics ofprior devices.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus by means of which work pieces may be fed into cooperative relation with an applicator device with a minimum of effort and handling on the part of the operator, and by means of which a greater number of pieces may be handled at one time.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus by which positive and uni for spreading of the material upon the work pieces is obtained.

A further object of the invention is to provide 5 an improved apparatus of this type wherein conparts of the apparatus is reduced to a minimum.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention may be more clearly understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevational' view of a preferred form of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating more clearly the essential parts of the apparatus; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the movable carriage which is employed in the apparatus.

Referring to the several views of the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1, there is provided a reservoir or container l which is adapted to receive the glue or other material to be applied to the work pieces. The reservoir l is carried by a support or table 2. An applicator device in the form of a roll '3 is rotatably journaled in opposed walls of the container l and is adapted to be driven by a motor 4 through suitable reduction gearing 5. The surface of the roll 3 is preferably provided with corrugations 6 in order that theroll may more readily carry the glue or other material as will be well understood. Preierably, there is provided a small adjustable roll I adjacent the roll 3 which is adapted to control the quantity of the material carried by the roll 3. The roll 1 is rotatably mounted within a hood 8 and is movable relative to the surface of roll 3 by means of the hand-operated screws 9. It will be understood, of course, that any suitable applicator device other than that shown may be employed.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a support or table [0 carrying spaced rollers H adjacent the applicator device at one side thereof as illustrated clearly in Figs, 1' and 2. The rollers i I are adapted to receive pieces which are fed to the applicator device, such as the piece I2 illustrated. The applicator roll 3 rotates in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 and the pieces, such as the piece l2, are fed from left to right, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, in the direction indicated by the arrows. The rollers II are disposed so that their upper portions are slightly lower than the upper portionof roll 3, as may be seen more clearly in Fig.3. The reason for this will appear presently. Although it is preferred to employ the rollers ll, any suitable means may be provided for supporting the pieces as they are fed to roll 3. For example, a smooth,

flat surface could be employed or movable means, such as a carriage or conveyor could be used.

On the opposite side of roll 3, there is provided a table or support I3 carrying rollers I4 over which a carriage I5 is adapted to ride. At the end of the table I 3 nearest the roll 3, there is provided a transverse stationary support IS, the upper edge of which is preferably tapered as shown in Fig. 3. The upper edge of this support is slightly lower than the uppermost portion of roll 3.

The carriage I5 isconstructed as illustrated more clearly in Fig. 4 and comprises a frame I1 carrying the transverse members designated I8 to 22 respectively. These transverse members which are adapted to serve as stops and supports, as described hereinafter, may each comprise an angle wit. an upstanding flange. The upstanding flanges of these members are of progressively increasing height, the member I8 nearest roll 3 being the smallest in height and the member 22 farthest from roll 3 being the largest in height. The upper edges of the members I8 to 2!, inclusive, are preferably provided with teeth or serratlons, as shown clearly in Fig. 4, for a purpose which will appear presently. The members I8 to 22 are spaced in predetermined relation and their heights are predetermined in order to enable these members to function as stops and supports for pieces of various lengths, as will now be described.

In operation of the apparatus, the roll 3 rotates continuously and carries the glue or other material from the reservoir I. Considering the operation in the application of the material to a single piece, such as the piece I2, the piece is passed'over the rollers II by the operator into engagement with the applicator roll 3. When the forward end of the piece engages roll 3, the adhesion of the piece with the glue-covered applicator roll causes thepiece to move over the roll without further eflfort on the part of the operator; During the time that the forward portion of the piece is passing over roll 3, the piece is supported by the rollers II and the applicator roll, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. During this time, the forward end of the piece which has already passed over roll 3 is above the members carried by carriage I5. When the center of gravity of the piece has passed over the applicator roll 3, however, the forward portion of the piece drops onto the members of carriage I5 and, at the same time, the rear portion of the piece raises off the rollers I I. During the subsequent part of the process, the piece is, therefore, supported by the applicator roll 3 and the members of carriage I5.

When the forward end of the piece drops onto the carriage, as indicated by the vertical arrow in Fig. 3 which depicts the dropping of the forward end, the forward end of the piece abuts against the flange of one of the carriage members, the particular member which is thus engaged depending upon the length of the piece. In the illustration of Fig. 3, the flange of member is about to be engaged by the forward end of the piece I2. The continued movement of the piece causes the carriage I 5 to move away from the applicator roll I and when the rear end of the piece finally leaves the roll 3, it drops onto the stationary support IS. The pieces are then supported by the stationary support and the members of carriage I5 which has moved in the direction of the arrows in Figs. 1 and 3 through a distance dependent upon the length of the piece being coated. The piece may then be removed by the operatorwithout the operator touching the surface that has been coated with glue or other material.

It is important to note that the apparatus involves no pressure roll or other means for pressing the piece against the applicator roll. Consequently the piece is permitted to adjust itself (move up or down or tilt) as it passes over the roll, so as to maintain full contact with the roll. Hence the glue is applied uniformly to the surface of the piece notwithstading irregularities of the piece. The operator has only to bring the forward end of the piece into contact with the roll, and the piece is then moved by the rotating glue-covered roll and is handled by the roll and the carriage, the glue helping to draw the piece over the roll.

.Prior devices employing a pressure roll or the like and those requiring the operator to push or pull each piece through the device have required considerable effort on the part of the operator and have frequently caused poor and uneven application of the glue, due to slippage of the piece over the applicator roll when too great a pushing or pulling force is exerted by the operator, and due also to the pressure roll exerting too little or too much pressure when the pieces vary in diameter or are irregular. The present device is free of such defects.

In its broad aspect, the invention contemplates the use of any suitable device for performing the function of carriage I5. For example, instead of employing the rollers I4, the carriage could be arranged to ride over wheels or the carriage could be equipped with wheels adapted to run on a track. Other possible embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In the specific apparatus illustrated, the member 22 determines the longest piece which may be coated by the apparatus. It will be apparent that the length of the carriage and the disposition of the last member 22 may be varied to vary the maximum length of the pieces to be coated. Since the pieces never pass beyond member 22, this member acts only as a stop and, therefore, it is unnecessary to provide teeth or serrations along the upper edge of this member. It will be seen, however, that the other members I8 to 2| serve variously as supports and stops depending upon the length of the piece in any instance and, by providing the teeth or serrations on these members, they are caused to engage the coated surface of the piece at spaced points, thus pro-' viding a minimum contact area. Moreover, by providing the tapered edge on support I6, the contact area of thissupport with the piece is materially reduced. If desired, the upper edge of this support may also be serrated.

After a coated piece has been removed, the carriage I5 is returned to its position nearest the applicator roll 3. The carriage may be returned manually or, if desired, suitable provision may be made for returning it automatically. This may be done by having the rollers I4 arranged on a slight incline so that the carriage will return gravitationally or an arrangement of springs or counterweights may be employed to return the carriage as will be clearly apparent. I It will be apparent that by means of the apparatus, successive pieces may be coated with glue or other material with a minimum effort and handling on the part of the operator. It is, therefore, possible/for the operator to feed a greater number of pieces at one time than has been possible in prior devices. It will be noted also that the apparatus provides for minimum contact of the coated surface or surfaces with the parts of the apparatus so that practically none of the material is removed by such contact. Moreover, the glue does not come in contact with the surfaces of the rollers l4 and the carriage l5 which move over one another, and, therefore, the device operates smoothly and with no tendency to cause slipping of the pieces on roll 3. The apparatus spreads the glue or other material positively and uniformly over the surfaces of the pieces so that no portions of the surfaces are missed and there are no variations in the applied coating. The apparatus also eliminates waste and effects a material saving in the quantity of material used. In fact, it has been determined that savings ranging from 25% to over prior methods are readily possible. Furthermore, a heavy bodied glue may be used employing the apparatus, whereas in some prior devices this has been impossible because such a glue aggravated the defects heretofore mentioned. The use of such a glue gives much better results than the use of a light bodied glue.

It will be apparent, therefore, that the apparatus has certain definite and important advantages over prior'devices of this general type. Although the invention has been disclosed with reference to a specific preferred form, it will be understood that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for applying material, such as glue, to work pieces, applicator means adapted to apply the material to said pieces as they are fed to the apparatus, a stationary support adjacent said applicator means, acarriage adjacent said support constructed and arranged to move away from and toward the support, a stop on said carriage against which a piece may abut to move the carriage away from said support, and at least one support on said carriage constructed and arranged for cooperation with said applicator means and said stationary support to support the piece during the application process and after the piece has left said applicator means.

2. In an apparatus for applying material, such as glue to work pieces, applicator means adapted to apply the material to said pieces as they are fed to the apparatus, stationary support adjacent said applicator means, a carriage adjacent said support constructed and arranged to move away from and toward the support, and a series of spaced members of progressively increasing height on said carriage constructed and arranged to serve as supports and stops for pieces of various lengths, whereby said carriage is moved by a piece away from said stationary'support, and said members cooperate with said applicator means and said stationary support to support the piece during the application process and after the piece has left said applicator means.

3. In an apparatus for applying material, such as glue, to work pieces, a reservoir for said material, an applicator roll disposed partly within said reservoir, means on one side of said roll for supporting said pieces as they are fed onto said roll, a carriage on the other side of said roll costructed and arranged to move bodily away from the roll and to support the forward portion of a piece as it moves over said roll, and a stop on said carriage against which the piece may abut to move the carriage away from the roll.

4. In an apparatus for applying material, such as glue, to work pieces, a reservoir for said material, an applicator roll disposed partly within said reservoir, means on one side of said roll for supporting said pieces as they are fed onto said roll,

roll, a carriage adjacent said support constructed and arranged to move away from and toward the 'a stationary support on the other side of said support, a stop on said carriage against which a piece may abut to move the carriage away fromsaid support, and at least one support on said carriage constructed and arranged to support the forward portion of a piece as it moves over said roll and to serve cooperatively with said stationary support to support the piece after it has left said roll.

5. In an apparatus for applying material, such as glue, to work pieces, a reservoir for said material, an applicator roll disposed partly within said reservoir, means on one side of said roll for supporting said pieces as they are, fed onto said roll, a stationary support on the other side of said roll, a carriage adjacent said support constructed and arranged to move away from and toward the support, and a series of spaced transverse memmeans for said pieces, an applicator roll rotatably arranged adjacent said supporting means to receive said pieces free of pressure or force other than that required to bringflthe forward end of a piece into engagement with the roll, means for rotating said roll, means for applying the adhesive material to said roll, the adhesiveness of said material helping to draw the piece over the rotating roll, whereby the rotating roll and the adhesive material thereon constitute the sole means for moving the piece and applying said material thereto, the .piece being free to adjust itself as it passes over the roll, a carriage on the discharge side of said applicator roll constructed and arranged to move bodily away from said roll, and contact means on said carriage engageable by a piece to move the carriage away from the applicator roll, said carriage serving tosupport the forward end of the piece as it moves over said roll.

7. In an apparatus for applying material, such as glue, to work pieces, applicator means adapted to apply the material to said pieces as they are fed to the apparatus, a carriage on the discharge side of said applicator means constructed and arranged to move bodily away from the applicator means, and contact means on said carriage engageable by a piece to move the carriage away from the applicator means, said carriage serving cooperatively with said applicator means to support the pieces during the application process.

GORDON G. PIERSON. 

